Accessibility on a plane for all is a growing topic, with airlines trying to address the needs of all passengers. Bluebox Aviation Systems is aiding Etihad along, with improved accessibility.
Etihad Airways will upgrade its Bluebox Ai iPads to include Bluebox aIFE – their IFE platform for visually impaired passengers. In the past, the airline used Bluebox Ai iPads primarily for service recovery purposes.
The improvements that Bluebox is going to deploy will update the current iPads, allowing visually impaired passengers to enjoy the same IFE content as is provided to other passengers via the seat-back IFE.
The combined build enables cabin crew to switch between the standard IFE mode (Bluebox Ai) and accessibility mode (Bluebox aIFE) depending on a passenger’s needs.
Screen for app selection by crew showing Standard (Bluebox Ai) or Accessibility (Bluebox aIFE) options – Image, BlueBox
BlueBox’s aIFE deployed on Virgin Atlantic – Image, BlueBox.
In quotes
Jamal Al Awadhi, Vice President, Product and Guest Experience, Etihad Airways
“We recognise the industry-wide need for a more accessible passenger experience and felt it important to make our IFE more accessible to our visually impaired guests,” said . “With the aviation community together this week in Hamburg at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, we had an opportunity to keep the attention of our airline peers on this important issue.”
David Brown, Business Development Director, Bluebox
“Etihad’s commitment to their guests is impressive, and we’re looking forward to helping bring accessible IFE to the visually impaired among them,” said “Our hope is that with this announcement and more focus on accessibility during AIX, more airlines will deploy solutions like ours to address the needs of passengers with disabilities.”
Building on success, building on accessibility
It’s another step forward for BlueBox Aviation, who won a Crystal Cabin Award for their product last year, with its Virgin Atlantic system that it launched. For those the with sight impairment or loss, it’s a way to access the content that has been provisioned by an airline.
And if it opens doors to content and services on an aircraft – it’s a welcome thing to have aboard a flight.
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